-----Original Message-----
From: Ben Moore
To: Dee Moore
Sent: Tue, 25 Mar 2008 4:06 am
Subject: Re: Hey!
not broken, just pinched 3 nerves and a tendon. i volunteered to do some ranger push-ups, and i dropped the front sight post of my m16 on it. it HURTS. it's all swollen and stuff. and they don't have x-rays out here... or anybody that works on hands, so if i WOULD have broken it, i would've had to go home to get it fixed, and they'd put me on the next plane out here. and yesterday was fun. i got to drive MRAPS and i got my license to drive them. look them up. they're awesome.
-----Original Message-----
From: Ben Moore
To: Dee Moore
Sent: Mon, 24 Mar 2008 10:06 am
Subject: Re: Hey!
i think i broke my hand today... that sucks... i'll let you know more later. love ya
--------------------------------------------
Ben's email is below the Camp Taji info.
Camp Taji
In mid-September 2004, as part of an Army-wide effort to give its facilities around Baghdad friendlier connotations, and try to resolve the issue of constantly-changing facility names, Camp Cooke was renamed Camp Taji, with its Arabic translation "Camp Taji".
The quality of life at Camp Taji gets better every day. The Camp now has the Largest PX in Iraq , which has a Subway, Burger King and Pizza Hut. They also have a newly built dining facility, which is three times larger and the food selection is unbelievable. There are several Gyms and MWR facilities where soldiers can exercise, watch movies or sporting events and play games. Soldiers live in air-conditioned and heated trailers, have hot showers and can eat four meals a day in the new dining facility.
Soldiers on Camp Taji had a lot to celebrate on a day full of Thanksgiving activities with the grand opening of a new post exchange and dining facility 25 November 2004. The new exchange boasts 29,000 square feet of retail space.
MARCH 23, 2008 email:
-----Original Message-----
From: Ben Moore
To: d81165@aol.com
Sent: Sun, 23 Mar 2008 8:53 am
Subject: Re: Hey!
okay, just wanted to let you know i made it to baghdad. we got there on the 19th. we just left baghdad last night and now we're just north of baghdad now. i can't tell you where, though. those 2 things that you e-mailed me about and asked me if i was in... no. that's not it. it's just plain hht. we're under brigade. we are our own battalion. i found out just now that i'm going to be moving again. can't tell you where b/c i don't exactly know. it's just east of sauder city (dunno if i spelled that right). i'll be on a MITT team. i'll be training the iraqi army. i'll have training for about 2 weeks here before i move again. there are no phones where i am right now, and no internet, so i odn't know how often i'll be able to talk to you. and the place i'm going to is pretty small so i don't know what kind of accomodations we have. i'll call yall asap. love ya. bye.
On 3/21/08, d81165@aol.com
Any new info? Do you have a mailing address yet?
love you! Anxious to hear from ya,
Mama
March 17 EMAIL From Ben:
-----Original Message-----
From: Ben Moore
To: Dee Moore
Sent: Mon, 17 Mar 2008 5:29 am
okay, sorry i haven't called. super busy. my orders changed. i'm going to Camp Taji in Taji, IRAQ. Not going to mosul anymore. i'm not in 1/8 anymore, either. i'm in HHT. that's Headquarters and Headquarters Troop. i know nothing about what that is, lol. all i know is that i'm going to be sitting behind a freaking desk. i'm not going to see much if any action, and more than likely, i won't get my CIB. my job will be to guard HVT's (high value targets... bad guys) and VIP's (good guys). supposedly it's an honor to get that, and your NCO's at 1/8 have to request that you get that. only like 5 or 6 of us are going. we're leaving tomorrow (tuesday). don't know what time or how we're getting there, though. oh, and i said i was supposed to get an m4 or a new m16 here... well that was wrong. i'm stuck with this piece of CRAP m16. it's falling apart. i'm so mad. anyway, i think that's pretty much everything. i'm adding pictures to photobucket, so i'll give you the info. my favorite one is the guy on the bicycle with the ACH on and the 9 Mil strapped to his back with an AH-17 Blakhawk taking off in the background. enjoy
love ya
ben
March 12, 2008: Ben called at 8:00am ....he was in the gym at Fort Carson, along with about 100 others waiting for the bus to take them to the airfield on Fort Carson, to begin their trip to Iraq. He will be going to Kuwait first and train there for a few weeks he thinks (he isn't totally sure - they don't tell them much until it's just about to happen), then will go to Iraq to either a FOB (Forward Operating Base) or an outpost. We're hoping very much it will be an FOB, because FOB's have amenities and are safer. Either way, hopefully I'll hear from him again today or sometime tonight, but it could be a while. I'll let you know when I hear from him.
Feb 2, 2008: Ben will be going to Iraq February 28th. He'll be training and learning more about Iraq and all kinds of stuff until then. Monday he gets smallpox and anthrax vaccinations, and who knows what else.
Hopefully, next week he will go to his barracks in his unit and will have an address. He doesn't right now because he's in temporary quarters.
Yesterday, he thought he had missed some training, and would be assigned to an administrative type position in Iraq, and would be staying "inside the wire" (i.e., not leaving the US Military base), but he was wrong. He will be doing patrols, searches, etc.
Anyway, when I learn more, I will let you know!
Dee
February 1, 2008 Everyone: Amy emailed me earlier, and asked for Ben's mailing address at Fort Carson. See my reply below for a lot more info:
As for Ben..... he was just home for a few days because Gwen (Benny's mother) died, and he was able to come for the funeral.
I don't think he can get mail at the moment. He is still in In-Processing and in temporary barracks.
Today he is getting more inoculations and then Monday he will get all his battle gear, gun, etc. in preparation for going to Iraq in February. Initially he was told "Mid-February", but today he learned it might be March. So who the heck knows.... he'll find out before too long hopefully.
So in answer to your question, I don't know yet about mailing him stuff, and neither does he. When I find out an address, I will let everyone know.
He did learn today that he will be going to Mosul (only the most violent place left in Iraq unfortunately - terrorist hotbed). He said he thinks he is being assigned to the 1st Battalion - 8th Infantry Regiment, which falls under the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. 3BCT-4ID began re-deploying to Iraq this December. He will be there 12 months.
There were 5 soldiers killed last week I think when an IED blew up, and they were in 1-8, the Unit Ben thinks he is joining. Scary as hell. Below is the most recent article I could find about this unit:
=============
Taking Over the Mission - 1-8 Infantry
January 25, 2008
There is an old Chinese proverb that says, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” In the ongoing effort to develop a stronger, safer Iraq, Coalition Forces are trying to do just that by training and educating the Iraqi people so that they can support themselves and their country. While the violence must be stopped first, this concept of teaching is an important part of units’ missions throughout Iraq.
In some areas, like Baghdad, the reconstruction phase has progressed over several months. In other areas, like the northern city of Mosul, it is still in the beginning stages. One of the units up here in the “City of Two Springs” is 1-8 Infantry Battalion (1-8 IN), based out of Fort Carson, CO. After various changes to their location and mission, the battalion is eager and ready to teach the Iraqi people how to fish.
In the middle of December, 1-8 IN “Fighting Eagles” arrived in Baghdad ready to take on their assignment. Just two weeks later, they moved 250 miles north to support a smaller, but no less significant, force, under 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment (3d ACR). The last minute move was a tremendous effort as the battalion, comprised of seven companies, pushed to transport 800+ Soldiers, along with tanks, equipment, vehicles, and other supplies. At first, the news of the shift left many Soldiers disgruntled. Forward Operating Base (FOB) Liberty in Baghdad has loads of amenities and boasts the largest Post Exchange (PX) in Iraq. Conversely, FOB Marez in Mosul is much smaller with a few mini shops scattered around the base.
However, 1-8 IN displayed a great attitude upon arrival and was simply happy to settle down somewhere. The Soldiers now rave that the dining facility (DFAC) and the gym are better than the ones down in FOB Liberty. The ability to stay positive shows a great sense of discipline from the Fighting Eagles, which did not go unnoticed. Command Sgt. Maj. Jerome Thanheiser of 1-8 IN, noted, “It says a lot about their own personal character and also their leaders, who are doing the best they can to take care of these guys.” The Battalion Commander, Lt. Col. Christopher Johnson, commented, “I’m proud of all the Soldiers and the way that they’ve attacked [the situation].”
The Fighting Eagles know their mission will be a little tougher but are more than prepared for it. “With the experience this battalion has had…its third OIF [Operation Iraqi Freedom] deployment, it can fall back on a lot of tribal knowledge. We get a chance to do a good thing up here and it’s a mission that they’re fully capable of doing,” added Thanheiser. Coming from both leaders and Soldiers, the sentiment is the same; they are confident and ready to accomplish their tasks.
One of the key goals for 1-8 IN is to build up the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) in the Mosul area so that they can ultimately create a safer and more stable Iraq for the future. The Battalion will teach, coach, and mentor the ISF, composed of the Iraqi Army (IA) and Iraqi Police (IP), and also work hand in hand with them to secure the region. The joint forces want to reduce threats in the neighborhood so that people will not be afraid to drive the roads, visit family across town, open up shops, or go to school.
“Much about what is going on in this fight is having to do with dealing with the people and so we’re really trying to encourage the Iraqi Army and the Iraqi Police in their effort to secure the population,” expressed Johnson. The eventual goal is to build confidence in the Iraqi population so that the local government can provide essential needs for its people.
In order to accomplish these missions, the Battalion’s Companies support each other with numerous assets. They all have the same goals to achieve so when they fight as a team, they win as a team. As mentioned earlier, one of the most important tasks is to partner with the ISF to help secure the local populace and provide the Government of Iraq ample time to let their fledgling democracy grow.
The Forward Support Company (FSC) provides logistical support for the battalion both inside the FOB and outside. While the mechanics work hard to maintain vehicles and equipment, they are also responsible for emergency recovery missions if a vehicle or tank is damaged out in the area of operations.
With so many elements in the battalion, it really takes a group effort to accomplish the unit’s tasks. Soldiers’ jobs range from infantrymen and tank drivers to generator mechanics and parts clerks, but they all help each other to undertake the same mission. Every company and every Soldier plays a vital role in this fight and the Fighting Eagles truly live up to their name.
Apart from their fellow battle buddies, these servicemen and servicewomen agree that support from the home front also helps them tremendously. The battalion and the individual companies have strong Family Readiness Groups that send out letters, holiday cards, care packages, and other forms of encouragement throughout the deployment. Many outside groups, such as Soldiers’ Angels, Adopt-a-Platoon, and Colorado’s own El Paso Corporation, boost the Soldiers’ morale by mailing out delicious treats, cheerful messages, and small essential items, like hygiene kits. Every little bit counts and the Fighting Eagles appreciate the thought and consideration from all of these groups.
1-8 IN thoroughly embodies the qualities of a solid team. Whether the team members are in Iraq, Colorado, or anywhere in between and whether they wear a uniform or not, everyone joins together to make this a successful deployment. At the end of the day, people want these Soldiers’ efforts to be meaningful for a worthy cause. Perhaps one day, the Iraqi people will share a meal of fish with their American friends.
=============
Here is another article. here's the link to it if you want to see the whole thing w/pics: http://www.star-telegram.com/279/story/446688.html:
Mosul offers a grim reminder of Baghdad in its deadlier days
By STEVE LANNEN
McClatchy Newspapers
Soldiers with Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment scan nearby apartment buildings for snipers in the al-Noor neighborhood of Mosul.
LEXINGTON HERALD-LEADER/STEVE LANNEN VIA MCT
01 FEB 08
Soldiers with Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment scan nearby apartment buildings for snipers in the al-Noor neighborhood of Mosul.
MOSUL, Iraq -- Iraq's third-largest city looks like Baghdad did a year ago.
U.S. soldiers drive armored Humvees and tanks through a decimated and dusty landscape. Burned-out cars sit on the street corners, and trash and chunks of concrete litter the medians and the gutters. Poor people from the countryside have flooded into the northern city, but the streets and sidewalks are mostly deserted.
U.S. officials say that al Qaeda in Iraq and other terrorist groups have a significant presence in the city and that Mosul is a gathering point for foreign fighters coming across the border from nearby Syria.
On Monday, gunmen killed five U.S. soldiers during a firefight after an improvised explosive device attack on their Humvee. The week before, thousands of pounds of explosives in an insurgent weapons cache exploded, killing 60 people. A suicide bomber killed the police chief at the blast site the following day.
Terrorists aren't Mosul's only problem. The city's Sunni and Shiite Muslim Arabs detest each other, and the Arabs distrust the city's Kurdish, Christian and Turkomen minorities.
Although 60 percent of Mosul's population of 1.8 million is Sunni, three-quarters of the provincial government is Kurdish, and the Arabs suspect that the Kurds want to take over the city.
Islamic extremists have found it easy to blend into this backdrop, said Rear Adm. Gregory Smith, a U.S. military spokesman.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has vowed a "decisive" battle against al Qaeda in Iraq in Mosul.
Fort Hood soldiers
The two main American units in Mosul have been on the job only a short time, and the U.S. soldiers are treading warily. The 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment from Fort Hood arrived in late November, and the attached 1st Battalion, 8th Regiment, from Fort Carson, Colo., arrived in late December.
U.S. and Iraqi forces are using the formula developed in Baghdad last year -- building outposts where there has been no security presence and setting up police stations around the city.
At night, the soldiers move out in their armored Humvees to look for insurgents or weapons caches.
During the day, they "meet and greet" Iraqis in Mosul's neighborhoods.
Convoys halt and block the roads. An interpreter and one or two soldiers then question local shopkeepers about everything from insurgent activity to the water pressure in the local primary school.
The units move quickly, knowing that trouble might arrive soon. One recent Saturday morning, Lt. Michael Smith of Johnstown, Pa., led part of Charlie Company's 4th Platoon from the 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment into north Mosul's al-Noor neighborhood.
This wasn't the kind of mission Smith's men had trained for.
For months, he and the rest of his battalion studied maps of Baghdad, because that's where they were headed until about a month ago.
During their first day in Mosul about two weeks ago, part of Smith's platoon was pinned down on a rooftop during a 30-minute firefight. Eight rocket-propelled grenades were fired at them, Smith said.
A day later, three platoons lost vehicles to IEDs at a traffic circle.
No soldiers were killed, but at least one must undergo reconstructive facial surgery, Smith said.
Special correspondent Hussein Khadim contributed to this report.
December 15, 2008: Ben is home for Christmas and will be here until January 3rd. He looks great, feels good, and is excited to see family and friends. The magnitude of just what Ben is doing, and knowledge of what he is training for has really hit home. I guess it's never really sunk in, but it's beginning too. He brought home several newspapers (The Army Times) because he wanted me and his dad to read a series of articles, and it's very scary. This infantry unit does what Ben will be doing sometime late next year. He's learning how to clear rooms, search buildings, and lots of the things this infantry unit does. This unit suffered an unusual amount of casualties and he said this isn't common, but it still scares the shit out of me. I guess he's and it's hard to read. I had to put it down several times and go do something else, but I do hope you'll read it. I'm so proud of Ben. He is officially a soldier now, having completed Basic and is wrapping up AIT (Advanced Individual Training), and after graduating in January (I will get information to you, should you like to go - let me know) he will be going to Fort Carson, CO, "The Mountain Post" and he is thinking (but really doesn't know anything yet) that he will be in the 4th Infantry Regiment. As I learn more, I will let you know. Here is the website for Fort Carson: .
http://www.carson.army.mil/
Article:
http://www.militarytimes.com/projects/flash/bloodbrothers/
Merry Christmas, and love you all,
Dee
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